3/15/2013

Review & Giveaway: The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe

Published on February 12, 2013.
Published by Disney Hyperion.
Source: Purchased.

Goodreads Blurb:First, the virus took Kaelyn’s friends. Then, her family. Now it’s taken away her home.

But she can't look back—the life she once had is gone forever.

A deadly virus has destroyed Kaelyn’s small island community and spread beyond the quarantine. No one is safe. But when Kaelyn finds samples of a vaccine in her father's abandoned lab, she knows there must be someone, somewhere, who can replicate it. As Kaelyn and her friends head to the mainland, they encounter a world beyond recognition. It’s not only the “friendly flu” that’s a killer—there are people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the vaccine. How much will Kaelyn risk for an unproven cure, when the search could either destroy those she loves or save the human race?

Megan Crewe's second volume in the Fallen World trilogy is an action-packed journey that explores the resilience of friendship, the ache of lost love, and Kaelyn’s enduring hope in the face of the sacrifices she must make to stay alive.

My Review:

Another fantastic novel from Megan Crewe. There was certainly no second-book slump for this series as it was just as exciting as the first!

One thing I really loved about this novel was that it is a journey story. It's an excellent follow-up to the more stationary beginning of the trilogy because now Kaelyn and her group of friends are on the move across a mainland ravaged by the same virus that struck their island. The constant movement meant things were constantly changing and new problems were arising, which kept the excitement level up all the way along.

The atmosphere of this novel was extremely well done. There is a major sense of emptiness and desolation both on the island and across the mainland, which served to heighten the feeling of danger when it arose. There was also a lot of tension in this instalment of the series, especially with the introduction of a new character who clearly doesn't think before he acts and risks their lives on more than one occasion.

Speaking of characters, it was great to finally see Leo in person as opposed to just hearing about him through Kaelyn. I also really enjoyed seeing his relationship with Kae for the first time, even when they struggled with where they stand with one another. It was great development for the story. Kaelyn was, as in the first novel, brave, strong and determined, which makes her a fantastic leader for the group. It was also great to continue having Gav around though, especially when Kaelyn loses her head. Gav is a wonderful guy, but he frustrated me on occasion because he was just so darn selfless. It's a great quality for him to have, especially in the kind of world they're now faced with, but the boy needs a stronger sense of self-preservation!

All in all I loved the direction the storyline went in The Lives We Lost, and I appreciated how the environment and situations really tested the group so we get to see more of their character. It was an excellent example of how to avoid an underwhelming middle book in a trilogy.4.5 stars!

I have an extra hardcover copy of The Lives We Lost to give away to one lucky US/CAN follower! Continue your journey with Kaelyn and the gang, courtesy of yours truly :)

Some Rules (aka the not so fun but important part):
~ This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.
~ No P.O. boxes.
~ Must be 13 or older to enter.
~ Winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email, otherwise they forfeit their prize and I will choose another winner, who must abide by the same rules.
~ Neither Megan nor I are not responsible for lost or damaged packages.
~ No cheating! In this case, I have the right to disqualify entries as I see fit.
~ By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to these rules.

I can't wait to read The Lives We've Lost! I loved The Way We Fall so much! I really want to see what Leo is like since we heard so much about him in the first book. I'm so glad to see you like this book, thanks for the review.

Hi, Jessica! I sent you an e-mail on 4/4 regarding my contest entry. I mentioned that your e-mail to me notifying me that I'd won went to my spam box, and I was wondering if maybe my e-mail went to your spam, too. If it's too late, I completely understand, but I just wanted to check in case you hadn't notified a new winner yet.